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Communications

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil Security Forces

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $5 billion to $7 billion, 25% to 33% of GDP (1995 est.)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 6,844,035 males fit for military service: 4,143,713 males reach military age (18) annually: 194,922 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 18, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

3.5 million

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

system is believed to be available principally for government business domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

30,000 (1990 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

400,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Budget [time series]

revenues: $19.3 billion expenditures: $19.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 North Korean won (Wn) = 100 chon

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA note: small amounts of grant aid from Japan and other countries

Economic overview [time series]

More than 90% of this command economy is socialized; agricultural land is collectivized; and state-owned industry produces 95% of manufactured goods. State control of economic affairs is unusually tight even for a communist country because of the small size and homogeneity of the society and the strict rule of KIM Il-song in the past and now his son, KIM Chong-il. Economic growth during the period 1984-88 averaged 2%-3%, but output declined by an average of 4%-5% annually during 1989-95 because of systemic problems and disruptions in socialist-style economic relations and technological links with the former USSR and China. The leadership has insisted on maintaining its high level of military outlays from a shrinking economic pie. Moreover, a serious drawdown in inventories and critical shortages in the energy sector have led to increasing interruptions in industrial production. Abundant mineral resources and hydropower have formed the basis of industrial development since World War II. Manufacturing is centered on heavy industry, including military industry, with light industry lagging far behind. Despite the use of improved seed varieties, expansion of irrigation, and the heavy use of fertilizers, North Korea has not yet become self-sufficient in food production. Indeed, a shortage of arable lands, several years of poor harvests, and a cumbersome distribution system have resulted in chronic food shortages. The year 1995 was marked by serious summer floods that worsened an already tenuous food situation. Substantial grain shipments from Japan and South Korea offset a portion of the losses. North Korea remains far behind South Korea in economic development and living standards.

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 9,500,000 kW production: 50 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,053 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

North Korean won (Wn) per US$1 - 2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990), 2.3 (December 1989)

Exports [time series]

$840 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: minerals, metallurgical products, agricultural and fishery products, manufactures (including armaments) partners: China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Hong Kong, Russia

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$8 billion (1992 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $21.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 25% industry: 60% services: 15% (1995 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP per capita) [time series]

$920 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

-5% (1995 est.)

Imports [time series]

$1.27 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: petroleum, grain, coking coal, machinery and equipment, consumer goods partners: China, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Russia, Singapore

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-7% to -9% (1992 est.)

Industries [time series]

military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

Labor force [time series]

9.615 million by occupation: agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 120,540 sq km land area: 120,410 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Mississippi

Climate [time series]

temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Coastline [time series]

2,495 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: localized air pollution attributable to inadequate industrial controls; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water natural hazards: late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall international agreements: party to - Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Geographic coordinates [time series]

40 00 N, 127 00 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated, nearly inaccessible, and sparsely populated

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

short section of boundary with China is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea

Irrigated land [time series]

14,000 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,673 km border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 18% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 74% other: 7%

Location [time series]

Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea

Map references [time series]

Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm military boundary line: 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Natural resources [time series]

coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Terrain [time series]

mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 special cities* (si, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang Province), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon Province), Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (P'yongyang City), Yanggang-do (Yanggang Province)

Capital [time series]

P'yongyang

Constitution [time series]

adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

none; note - North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, headed by PAK Kil-yon

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: KIM Chong-il [defacto]; note - President KIM Il-song was reelected without opposition 24 May 1990 and died 8 July 1994 leaving his son KIM Chong-il as designated successor; however the son has not assumed the titles that his father held and no new elections have been held or scheduled head of government: Premier KANG Song-san (since NA December 1992) was elected by the Supreme People's Assembly cabinet: State Administration Council was appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly

Flag [time series]

three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Independence [time series]

9 September 1948 note: 15 August 1945, date of independence from the Japanese and celebrated in North Korea as National Liberation Day

International organization participation [time series]

ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Judicial branch [time series]

Central Court, judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly

Legal system [time series]

based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Supreme People's Assembly (Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui): elections last held 7-9 April 1990 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (687 total) the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats

Country name (Name of country) [time series]

conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea conventional short form: North Korea local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk local short form: none note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country abbreviation: DPRK

National holiday [time series]

DPRK Foundation Day, 9 September (1948)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

major party - Korean Workers' Party (KWP), KIM Chong-il, secretary, Central Committee; Korean Social Democratic Party, KIM Pyong-sik, chairman; Chondoist Chongu Party, YU Mi-yong, chairwoman

Suffrage [time series]

17 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

Communist state; Stalinist dictatorship

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

none

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 30% (male 3,605,972; female 3,465,038) 15-64 years: 66% (male 7,871,783; female 7,956,935) 65 years and over: 4% (male 355,284; female 649,112) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

22.86 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.45 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

racially homogeneous

Infant mortality rate [time series]

25.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

Korean

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 70.32 years male: 67.23 years female: 73.57 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write Korean (1990 est.) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

23,904,124 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.74% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

Buddhism and Confucianism, some Christianity and syncretic Chondogyo note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.31 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 49 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 15 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 4 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 5 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 12 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 6 (1994 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 30,000 km paved: 4,500 km unpaved: 25,500 km

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 88 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 712,480 GRT/1,140,923 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 71, combination bulk 1, oil tanker 3, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: North Korea owns an additional 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling approximately 34,782 DWT operating under the registries of Hondurus and Poland (1995 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 37 km

Ports [time series]

Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan

Railways [time series]

total: 4,915 km standard gauge: 4,250 km 1.435-m gauge (3,397 km electrified; 159 km double track) narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge (1989)

Waterways [time series]

2,253 km; mostly navigable by small craft only

Korea, North